It's a pool party!!! This was my very first encounter with unconventional materials and I was definitely nervous. I grabbed everything I could because I had no idea what I was going to make. The pink flamingo swim float caught my attention right away and I knew I had to have it!
Once we got back to the workroom I frantically tried to cut the metal umbrella pole - no plan for what to do with it but I was hoping I could use but as it turned out I was just waisting my time. I really struggled to come up with an idea and changed it several times, even up to the very end! Looking at everything I grabbed I was still most inspired by the pink flamingo float. I really love Kate Spade and the graphic style she uses in a lot of her designs so I thought why not make my own pink flamingo graphic?! I used the blue umbrella to make the skirt - it was very stiff and hard to work with but I was able to find a strong needle to sew the skirt and put in a zipper. The pink flamingo was actually my own design - a lot of people thought I just cut the head off of the original flamingo but it wasn't the right size and was pretty scratched up. I added the fun eyelash too. I planned that pool noodles would go through the pink part of the skin to make it stand out more but in the end it just looked weird and so I pulled it out, so glad I did!
This challenge was full of drama for me and I was so worried when it aired that everyone was going to see my meltdown...luckily that didn't happen but I'll tell you about it anyway. Since I had never worked with unconventional materials I wasn't really used to industrial glue guns. They are EXTREMELY hot and I kept burning myself. I got hurt pretty badly and when it came time for my Tim Gunn critique my face was red and he could tell that something was wrong. I told him I just burned myself quite badly and once he saw my hands he called the medic over. They bandaged me up and I was able to talk to Tim. He was worried about the time factor, as was I, but overall he seemed to like my direction. After he left I continued to burn myself and didn't want the cameras to see me crying so I put that huge skirt over my head while I sewed! Sweet Lucas noticed though and came over to check on me and comfort me. He was a great friend!
At the end of our day I was stressed to the max and worried that I wouldn't have anything to send down the runway. I used the last five minutes to sew the top but I didn't have time to put a zipper in it.
I don't know that I've ever moved as fast as I did during the hour we had to work before the Runway. I had so much to finish and somehow I put it together. I went for a very retro and fun vibe with my look. It fit Juanita perfectly but of course I wasn't happy with the back of the top which was held together with bows - a fun idea but they looked a little messy. I actually burned myself again while putting those on the top and the medics had to come back in and bandage up my hands!!! I was relieved when Tim called time and we headed for the runway.
As you can imagine I was so caught up in my own struggles that I had not seen anyone else's looks until they went down the runway! I loved so many but I was blown away by Tieler's ambitious look - I have no clue how he got the sod to look so chic! Molly's was so fun and something every girl would want to wear to a pool party! I was sick to see Lucas go, I feel like he had so much more to show us. Did you see his design from the first runway?! It was flawless. I know he has lots of amazing things ahead and I can't wait to see what he does!
